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Trollheart · 11-19-2014, 03:27 PM

FAMILY

Sarah and Robert
How Sarah must curse the day her husband agreed to join his brother in his ventures! When Robert took the seat at the board of directors of the Onedin Line, she believed they were coming up in the world. Sarah is a woman of airs and graces, and has never enjoyed being married to a mere ship's chandler, so the chance to move up in society with her husband becoming a company director must have seemed very attractive to her. However it appears to have been director in name only. While James is away at sea, Robert is stuck to pay the sailors' wives and provision the ship, and meet any debts James has incurred on behalf of the company. James makes decisions and strikes deals without ever consulting his brother, and Robert is not man enough to stand up to him and demand his respect, despite being the older sibling.

Now, those awful chickens have come home to roost. As a result of James's misfortunes and perhaps not bothering to read the small print in his insurance contract, the Onedin Line is teetering on the verge of bankruptcy and Robert and Sarah have had to move out of their home, which has been repossessed by the bank. Sarah no doubt reviles her husband for not being a more forceful character: he is clearly no match for his younger brother. And she also sneers at him for making himself believe that Elizabeth's child is Albert's, when it is clearly not. She must wonder what kind of future lies ahead now for her own child, recently born?

And yet, she does not leave Robert, let him sink as his debt --- James's debt mostly --- drags him down. You could call that loyalty but really it's more a case of expediency. As has been pointed out to Elizabeth already, a woman with no husband has but two destinations open to her: the street or the workhouse. Neither, you would have to think, would suit Sarah. She's far too pious and prudish to go on the game --- not to mention she's hardly a beauty and not at all young --- and although she's worked in the shop, she doesn't look like the sort who's ever had to do hard, manual labour. And what of her child? With no father it would be either taken from her and put into one of those awful Victorian orphanages, or she would have to take it with her to the workhouse.

So Sarah will stay with Robert because, even though he has lost her her home and looks likely to allow the shop to follow suit, he is still her husband and still a company director (if only in name really) with some sort of prospects. And at the end of it all, you have to assume that she still loves him. Anyway, surely something will turn up before it all goes to Hell? James is, whatever she may think of him, a magician at seeing an opportunity and getting himself out of trouble, and with luck, they can ride his coattails to freedom from their current penury.

James and Anne
There's something of a rift developing between the two. Although Anne realises that her husband must do some pretty distasteful things in order to try to get out of the mess he's found himself in, and although she will as ever support him in his decisions, even if they are illegal, she draws the line at treason. And that is how she must see it, when she realises that James is transporting weapons to rebels who intend to take on the British Empire. Like most Victorian women, she is a staunch supporter of the Queen and cannot countenance anyone opposing her or her rule, so when her husband willingly helps those who would depose her, or free their land from her influence at the very least, she is shocked and finds it hard to believe.

She knew James would do anything to turn a profit, but she did not realise that he would go this far. And it may now be hard to reconcile her headstrong, ambitious and indefatigable husband with this almost mercenary she sees before her. To her, the two thousand pounds they receive for the arms --- even though every penny is spoken for back home --- must be equivalent to thirty pieces of silver. Every man has his price, it is said, and she must think that she has discovered what that of her husband is.

11-19-2014, 03:27 PM	#313 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	FAMILY *Sarah and Robert* How Sarah must curse the day her husband agreed to join his brother in his ventures! When Robert took the seat at the board of directors of the Onedin Line, she believed they were coming up in the world. Sarah is a woman of airs and graces, and has never enjoyed being married to a mere ship's chandler, so the chance to move up in society with her husband becoming a company director must have seemed very attractive to her. However it appears to have been director in name only. While James is away at sea, Robert is stuck to pay the sailors' wives and provision the ship, and meet any debts James has incurred on behalf of the company. James makes decisions and strikes deals without ever consulting his brother, and Robert is not man enough to stand up to him and demand his respect, despite being the older sibling. Now, those awful chickens have come home to roost. As a result of James's misfortunes and perhaps not bothering to read the small print in his insurance contract, the Onedin Line is teetering on the verge of bankruptcy and Robert and Sarah have had to move out of their home, which has been repossessed by the bank. Sarah no doubt reviles her husband for not being a more forceful character: he is clearly no match for his younger brother. And she also sneers at him for making himself believe that Elizabeth's child is Albert's, when it is clearly not. She must wonder what kind of future lies ahead now for her own child, recently born? And yet, she does not leave Robert, let him sink as his debt --- James's debt mostly --- drags him down. You could call that loyalty but really it's more a case of expediency. As has been pointed out to Elizabeth already, a woman with no husband has but two destinations open to her: the street or the workhouse. Neither, you would have to think, would suit Sarah. She's far too pious and prudish to go on the game --- not to mention she's hardly a beauty and not at all young --- and although she's worked in the shop, she doesn't look like the sort who's ever had to do hard, manual labour. And what of her child? With no father it would be either taken from her and put into one of those awful Victorian orphanages, or she would have to take it with her to the workhouse. So Sarah will stay with Robert because, even though he has lost her her home and looks likely to allow the shop to follow suit, he is still her husband and still a company director (if only in name really) with some sort of prospects. And at the end of it all, you have to assume that she still loves him. Anyway, surely something will turn up before it all goes to Hell? James is, whatever she may think of him, a magician at seeing an opportunity and getting himself out of trouble, and with luck, they can ride his coattails to freedom from their current penury. *James and Anne* There's something of a rift developing between the two. Although Anne realises that her husband must do some pretty distasteful things in order to try to get out of the mess he's found himself in, and although she will as ever support him in his decisions, even if they are illegal, she draws the line at treason. And that is how she must see it, when she realises that James is transporting weapons to rebels who intend to take on the British Empire. Like most Victorian women, she is a staunch supporter of the Queen and cannot countenance anyone opposing her or her rule, so when her husband willingly helps those who would depose her, or free their land from her influence at the very least, she is shocked and finds it hard to believe. She knew James would do anything to turn a profit, but she did not realise that he would go this far. And it may now be hard to reconcile her headstrong, ambitious and indefatigable husband with this almost mercenary she sees before her. To her, the two thousand pounds they receive for the arms --- even though every penny is spoken for back home --- must be equivalent to thirty pieces of silver. Every man has his price, it is said, and she must think that she has discovered what that of her husband is. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018